


A Little Louder, I'm Blind

by KBZ



Category: Eyeshield 21
Genre: First Dates, Flirting, Ice Skating, M/M, Shin is not as awkward as Sena thinks he is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 08:17:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 910
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12790488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KBZ/pseuds/KBZ
Summary: Honestly, Sena expected to be the one to do the “heavy lifting”, metaphorically speaking, in trying to woo Shin.





	A Little Louder, I'm Blind

**Author's Note:**

> Also on ff.net under same pen name

Flash Fiction

* * *

 

Sena munched on his melon pan while reading through his frantic texts. He and Shin were supposed to be ice skating soon (Sena decided on it after a very thorough lecturing from the Deimon cheerleaders that ‘training didn’t qualify as a date’), which meant that if he wanted bad romantic advice, it was now the perfect time to ask his friends.

He’d immediately vetoed asking Mamori since he _knew_ she wouldn’t approve of dating anyone who could be so… intense. Monta had no experience with... anything. Hiruma probably already knew, and would refuse to help him so that he could enjoy watching Sena suffer (as usual). So, nibbling on his bread wrapper, he copied and pasted the same text to a select few friends and checked for replies.

* * *

 

_From: Suzuna_

_3:17 pm, When he gets there, stroke his thigh with your foot!_

**_3:17 pm, NO I can’t do that!!!_ **

_3:18 pm, Yes you can and you will ;)))_

**_3:18 pm, Serious suggestions only please_ **

**_3:18 pm, He will just get confused and then I’ll get confused_ **

**_3:18 pm, Maybe I shouldn’t even be doing this I don’t even know if he likes me_ **

_3:19 pm, HAAHAHAHA you think he doesn’t like you???????_

_3:19 pm, HAHAHHAAH AHHAHHSHAHAH hahah LOL_

* * *

 

Not helpful, but Sena was now fighting a blush. Maybe things were clearer from a removed standpoint, but Shin was… unreadable. Sena once asked if he’d had a good birthday and Shin’s response was so vague (“There was someone missing that could have made it better.”) that Sena never broached the topic of celebrations of any kind again.

Which made the whole gift giving thing even more awkward.

(Though he had spotted Shin wearing that navy muffler everywhere, so at least the gift was well received.)

* * *

 

_From: Jumonji_

_3:17 pm, Dude I don’t fucken know just like be yourself and he’ll like you_

_3:17 pm, I mean he already likes you what’s not to like_

_3:17 pm, shit I didn’t mean like_

_3:17 pm, I meant like when you’re ur youu;;;;_

_3:17 pm, Sena bro I love u dump Shin and go out with me I’ll treat u right_

**_3:17 pm, ???? Uh, who is this?_ **

_3:22 pm, sorry that was Kuroki being a dumbass_

**_3:22 pm, Oh haha yeah I should have guessed it was a joke_ **

Jumonji left him on read.

* * *

 

_From: Riku_

_3:17 pm, Is he there yet? Just the two of you? Look I’m honored you’re coming to me for help (as you should) but I don’t like that Shin guy. All he does is football, he doesn’t_ feel _bro_

_3:18 pm, I mean no judgement, just not sure why you’d go after him_

_3:18 pm, There’s other options out there I mean…_

**_3:19 pm, Well, I can’t help liking him… not sure what you mean about other options_ **

_3:22 pm, For fuck’s sake, you’re really oblivious… Do that thing with your eyelashes that you always do_

**_3:22 pm, what eyelash thing?_ **

**_3:26 pm, hello??_ **

* * *

 

Another dead end. Sena’s bread was no more at this point, so he crumpled up the wrapper and tossed it in the trash. So far he’d gotten Suzuna’s impractical answer (they wouldn’t even be sitting for most of the date), but Riku and Jumonji seemed to have genuinely tried. He still had no clue what the whole eyelash thing meant, but he could at least be himself.

His phone buzzed again.

* * *

 

_From: Marco_

_3:26 pm, Hello Sena I hope I’m not too late to offer advice?_

**_3:26 pm, Anything you can give I’d greatly appreciate!_ **

_3:26 pm, Careful with that phrasing, sweetheart xx I’d say you don’t have much work ahead_

_3:26 pm, Shin seems very keen for you_

**_3:27 pm, Wait really?_ **

_3:27 pm, Trust me, I’m rarely wrong in these things. But I do have two suggestions for you: stand closer to him and don’t look down so often when you smile_

**_3:27 pm, Thank you very much!_ **

_3:28 pm, Of course, you’re more than welcome to talk to me any time xx_

* * *

 

Finally some tangible advice!

“Hello, Sena,” Shin waved a bit as he approached, blue scarf wrapped snuggly around his neck. Once he got closer, Sena bumbled his way until he was right at Shin’s elbow. Now, on to that eyelash thing Riku had said. Was he supposed to combine it with the smiling thing Marco suggested? Would that be too much? Maybe if he…

Smoothly, Shin draped his arm behind Sena’s neck, resting his arm on the other’s shoulder. Despite Sena’s fluffy orange jacket, he could feel the firm, warm press of Shin’s hand, his thumb stroking against him a few times, before Shin led them to get their skates.

Sena’s head spun, at their proximity, at Shin’s boldness, the strong, gentle caress.

“You seem confused,” Shin said, finally letting go in order to lace up. “Was that inappropriate?”

“What? No! No, I l-liked it, um.” _Don’t look down when you smile_. “I just… wasn’t expecting it.”

Shin stilled. The corner of his mouth perked up in the smallest disbelieving smile, as he said, rather quietly, “I did, too.”

* * *

 

Sena would later inform his friends on how great the date went, but for now, he would just enjoy holding Shin’s hand as they circled the ice rink.

 

****

**Author's Note:**

> From Sakuraba:
> 
> 7:18 pm: did you do the arm thing?
> 
> 7:19 pm: Yes. It was effective. Thank you.
> 
> 7:24 pm: lol glad it worked!


End file.
